The MTN Foundation has trained 5,980 young Nigerians in ICT and business skills through its youth empowerment programme, with the top 600 participants set to receive equipment grants from a ₦300 million fund to help them start or expand their businesses.
Participants in the programme were drawn from several states including Plateau, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Enugu, Ondo, Sokoto, Taraba, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The initiative focuses on equipping young people with practical digital and entrepreneurial skills needed to build sustainable businesses in Nigeria’s evolving economy.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony, Chairperson of the MTN Foundation, Mosun Bello-Olusoga, represented by Sura Judddeen Yakubu, described the programme as a platform that empowers young Nigerians to innovate and build solutions for the future.
“Today is more than a graduation ceremony. It is a celebration of resilience, courage and possibility. As I look across this hall, I don’t just see graduates; I see builders, innovators and architects of Nigeria’s tomorrow,” she said.
The five-week programme attracted about 6,000 young entrepreneurs across the country, with 5,980 successfully completing the training after participating in intensive sessions focused on digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and practical business development.
According to Bello-Olusoga, the best-performing 600 participants will benefit from equipment grants funded through a ₦300 million support package, designed to help them launch new ventures or strengthen existing businesses.
“This grant is not just financial support; it is an investment in your future and in the future of our nation,” she said, encouraging the graduates to apply their newly acquired knowledge to create opportunities within their communities.
The ICT and business skills programme forms part of the MTN Foundation’s broader strategy to empower Nigerian youths with the tools needed to succeed in a technology-driven economy. Since the initiative began eight years ago, the foundation has trained thousands of young Nigerians and supported them in developing sustainable enterprises.
Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, said the programme reflects the organisation’s long-standing commitment to youth empowerment and community development.
“At MTN, we believe that a business is only as good as the people it serves. Our commitment has always been about connecting with Nigerians and helping them achieve their dreams,” she said.
Sanya disclosed that the MTN Foundation is funded through one per cent of MTN Nigeria’s annual profit after tax, enabling the organisation to support a wide range of social intervention programmes across the country.
According to her, the foundation has invested about ₦33 billion in social development initiatives over the past 22 years, reaching nearly 4,000 communities across Nigeria and impacting approximately 520 local government areas.
She added that the ICT and business skills training programme, launched in 2018, has already trained 15,362 young Nigerians, with investments in the initiative exceeding ₦1 billion.
Sanya also explained that the programme initially operated as a physical training initiative before it transitioned to an online format in 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic. The shift to digital delivery allowed the foundation to expand its reach and accommodate more participants from different parts of the country.
According to her, the latest training cycle attracted hundreds of thousands of applications, highlighting the strong demand among Nigerian youths for digital and entrepreneurial skills that can improve their economic opportunities.
“You were selected from thousands of applicants, and you stayed the course. That alone shows that success may be difficult, but it is achievable,” she told the graduates.
